"We have returned, bringing pancakes and a princess!" Jay announced their arrival at Mal and Evie's dorm room.
Mal looked at Audrey. "Hey." She said coolly.
Audrey smiled. "Hi."
"Why are you three covered in flour?" Evie dusted Raelyn off with her scarf.
"Rae started it!" Jay pointed.
Raelyn gasped. "I think you'll find that it was you, good sir!" She laughed.
Carlos shook his hair out. "Jeez, Jay! Did you have to tip the contents of the bag on my head?"
Raelyn turned to him. "I see no difference." She smirked.
"Oh, yeah?" He went and shook the flour from his hair onto her.
She giggled. "Oh, maybe it was a tiny bit whiter."
Audrey watched the four of them with Mal. "She's unique, isn't she?" She said.
Mal nodded. "We all are. So why are you here? Not to sound rude, but this isn't your sorta crowd."
Audrey swallowed. "Chad dumped me and Raelyn cheered me up. She invited me." She met Mal's gaze. "Is that alright?"
Mal nodded and held out her hand. "As long as you have nothing to do with that jerk, we're good."
Audrey shook her hand. "Fresh start?"
"As long as you don't resent me for winning Ben?" Mal smirked.
Audrey shook her head. "I'm done with Princes."
They sat on the couch.
Evie had gotten the three, flour covered, friends a towel.
Carlos brushed the flour from his shirt and pants.
"Carlos."
He looked up to have a towel brushing on his face. "Huh?"
"Your face was matching your hair." Raelyn snorted.
"Is it all out of my hair?" He asked, looking down so she could see.
"Maybe you should brush it, get the stray bits out." She ruffled his hair.
He accepted the hair brush from Evie.
Evie looked at Raelyn hopefully. "Rae…?"
She sighed. "Yes, you can."
"Yay!" Evie grabbed another hair brush and made Raelyn sit down. She pulled the hair tie out and began to gently brush Raelyn's tan-coloured hair.
Carlos finally dug into the awaiting pancakes. "Yummy!" He exclaimed. "Rae!"
She looked over to him.
"Open." He threw a bit of pancake towards her.
She skilfully caught it in her mouth. "You realise I'm not a dog, right?" She chewed.
Evie finished brushing Raelyn's hair. "There!" She smiled.
"My turn!" Jay dropped down in front of Raelyn, against her legs. "Please?"
Raelyn rolled her eyes and grabbed Evie's brush. "You're a grown man, can't you brush your own hair?"
Jay shrugged. "I like it when you do it."
She sighed and gently brushed though his white dusted hair.
Mal smiled at the scene. "That girl makes everyone feel at ease." She muttered.
Audrey nodded. "She's soothing… a bit like a mom."
Mal's eyes widened. "That must be why Jay and Carlos find comfort around her. Jay's mom is unknown and Carlos' didn't really act like one." She added quietly.
Audrey covered her mouth. "So, sad." She breathed.
Rae lay back on Evie's bed, having brushed Jay's hair free of flour, she sighed contently.
Carlos came and sat beside her. "Are you alright?" He asked.
She nodded. "I feel great."
Dude jumped upon the bed and settled on Raelyn's stomach.
She petted him gently. "Hey, little fella." She murmured.
He licked her hand affectionately.
Carlos scratched Dude behind the ears. "Thanks, for taking me with you today." He said.
She looked up at him as he looked at Dude. "No problem. You have a bit of skill with a bow and arrow."
"Thanks, I have a good tutor." He smiled softly.
She laughed. "The best tutor is my mother."
"Does she still live in the far forest?"
She nodded. "She's coming to visit the weekend after family day." She stated.
"That must be exciting."
She smiled. "I miss her a lot."
"Can I meet her?"
"You probably will. You're my friend after all." She sat up. "You eat like a child." She stated, wiping chocolate from his cheek and licking it from her thumb.
For some reason, that one action made Carlos' stomach flip-flop. "Good to know." He wiped his face on the towel. "Better?"
She nodded. "Much."
Audrey watched the pair's interactions. "Are those two…?"
Mal shook her head. "They've just bonded really well. Carlos is comfortable around her."
Evie sat on Audrey's other side. "They're cute."
Audrey nodded in agreement, watching Raelyn mock punch Carlos in the arm. "Wish I had someone like that."
"You could have, if you try." Evie replied. "I mean, if you let me design some clothes for you, I'll be your friend." She grinned.
Audrey laughed. "Alright."
"Oh, yeah! Rae!" Evie called to her.
"Yeah?"
"I need to take you measurements." Evie jumped up and went into her sewing bag.
"Alright." Raelyn stood and went over to her. She tied her hair up.
"Okay. Arms out like a t-pose."
Raelyn obeyed.
Evie measured from her fingertip to her shoulder, then wrote the length. She measured around her bicep. "Tense. So, I know how much I should let out for your muscles." She laughed.
Raelyn sighed and flexed her arm.
"Oh, my goodness." Evie breathed. "Are you sure you are a girl?"
This made her roll her eyes. "It's not like I'm the only girl with strong arms."
"You're the only one who looks good." Mal stated.
Raelyn looked over to her. "Not you too." She whined.
Evie finished measuring Raelyn. "Great. I can't wait to start!" She grabbed her sketchbook to start drawing designs.
Raelyn dropped her arms. "No frills, okay?"
"I promise!"
"Raelyn should really try out for cheerleading." Audrey piped up.
Raelyn frowned. "Cheer what?"
"Cheerleading. Where we dance, and support the Tourney team." She explained.
"Oh… you talking about the girls who jump around wearing practically nothing? Waving stuff in the air?" Raelyn tilted her head.
Mal laughed. "Exactly!"
Raelyn shook her head. "I'll pass on that one."
Audrey looked a bit offended. "I happen to be head cheerleader."
Raelyn shrugged. "Still not my sorta thing." She sat back down next to Carlos.
"Pity, I think me and Carlos would play better if we knew you were cheering for us." Jay winked.
"Sorry." She stuck her tongue out at him.
"I mean it wouldn't hurt to try out, Rae." Evie said hopefully.
"Don't you start." Raelyn pouted.
"I know what I said, but I agree. It'll give you something to release all that energy that you have on." Mal added.
She ruffled her fringe. "I'll think about it." She said, defeated.